Not Bad
by Kewix
Summary: -What are you thinking about?- He asked her. She simply smiled. -CRACK: Slight Thornclaw x ?-


**Disclaimer:** Must I say it again?

**A/N:** I felt like doing a one-shot. So, here we are. Not much to say, although I'm not crazy for this pairing. **_EDIT:_** I exported this to change the title. This was formally** Memories**.

Sorry this is kinda short. -blah-

**Not Bad**

--

Sunlight leaked through the leaves of the great trees, creating pools of golden light on the forest floor. A tawny-colored cat padded along a winding path through his territory, his ears pricked for the sound of prey. A robin's chirp sounded from the distance, along with the noise of crushed leaves beneath the cat's paws.

Thornclaw didn't usually go out hunting by himself. Sometimes he would invite Ashfur, or Spiderleg, but this time he wanted to wander around his new home alone.

The home of his Clan.

It felt weird, not hearing the distant growling of the Thunderpath, or patrolling places where adders basked and four great oak trees stood in a low hollow.

Instead, the Gathering place was past WindClan territory, and snakes were not seen often as they used to be. But the last time Thornclaw saw his home, it had been destroyed, and the lives of every cat in the forest teetered on the very edge of starvation.

He had been just as relieved and glad like his Clanmates, but also a bit frightened and wary. Leaving the forest, Highstones, and the ThunderClan camp was hard. Painful, really. He had grown up there—along with his friends and siblings.

Who would want to give up such a thing?

They had left behind Graystripe, who had been taken away by Twolegs. They had left behind Frostfur and Speckletail, because they claimed they would never make it.

Now, all he had left were memories. Memories of his warrior ceremony, memories of his journey to Highstones, and memories of the cats that had died living in the forest.

A fresh wave of sorrow overcame the young ThunderClan warrior as he remembered Shrewpaw, his former apprentice. How he wished they hadn't split up when they went out to hunt.

He still felt helpless just thinking about it. Never in his life would he be able to erase the picture of Shrewpaw, lying lifeless on the Thunderpath.

He never got to see his new home.

If he could see Shrewpaw one more time, he would tell him how sorry he was. He would tell him how proud he had been of him, and the courage he had proven when ThunderClan moved to Sunningrocks.

Thornclaw sighed. He knew he would always miss Shrewpaw, but he had to put his energy into the Clan, and its needs. Raising his chin, the golden tom drank in the scents of the forest. Thank StarClan that his new home was rich in prey.

Almost immediately, he detected a vole. No surprise—the river was just up ahead. Thornclaw crouched close to the ground and stalked through the undergrowth. He followed the tempting prey-scent out into the open, and it was not long before Thornclaw had his teeth embedded in the vole's neck.

He lifted his head, feeling satisfied, until his gaze flickered across the river. That was ShadowClan territory, and crouching on the shore of the river was...

Her.

Thornclaw blinked. What was she doing? It looked like she was...staring into the river, it's crystal-clear surface reflecting her dark pelt. For a heartbeat, Thornclaw thought of calling out to her. But perhaps she will get startled and start yowling and snapping at him for being nosy.

Then, she lifted her head, and their eyes locked.

Thornclaw felt an unusual lump in his throat, but he shook if off quickly. She continued to stare at him, one eyebrow raised in question.

He couldn't just sit there and say nothing. Sure, she was from a different Clan, and perhaps he should just pad away, but something stirred in his mind. That wouldn't be very polite now, would it?

But since when had he even bothered to care about that?

"What are you doing?" Thornclaw meowed, careful not to make her assume he was spying.

She looked back at him blankly, the tip of her tail twitching.

"Thinking." She replied.

Thornclaw felt puzzled. Thinking? That's it? "Oh."

Thornclaw glanced at his vole. He probably should get back now. Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw her gaze shift back to the calm, swirling river. It looked as if she could see something there, something hidden.

"What are you thinking about?" He asked her. She only smiled.

She was smiling? After such an awkward meeting?

"About..." She mewed, "Things. Like, if we never left the forest, would we all be wiped to extinction? What would happen to StarClan?"

So she was still pondering about life back at the ruined forest, too.

"Maybe they would still be there." Thornclaw shrugged, not knowing what else to say.

She lifted her head again and narrowed her eyes. "Even after Fourtrees was destroyed? And our camps gone?"

Thornclaw widened his eyes. "Well, Firestar remained strong. He told us that StarClan did not abandon us—they couldn't have. And he was right."

"That's just what Firestar would think." She mewed smoothly.

Thornclaw felt his shoulders bristle. "What's wrong with that? He was trying to keep his Clan together, just like any leader should! He would never offer anything like false hope!"

"I didn't say he was a bad leader or anything." The ShadowClan warrior protested, "But it looks like ThunderClan cats only turn to StarClan whenever something bad is happening. Whatever happened to looking at yourself, and thinking, I can do this, too?"

Thornclaw tilted his head. His gaze wandered back to the river that ran between them. "Is that what you were really doing?"

She blinked. "No. I was really thinking. Memories are all we have left."

The ThunderClan warrior stretched his eyes wide. That's exactly what he had been thinking!

"We didn't have to leave." Thornclaw pointed out, "We could have always stayed, and be destroyed in the forest we loved. But we couldn't really do that, could we?"

She shook her head. All was silent for a while, not even the birds were chirping anymore. Thornclaw decided that it was time he got back to camp.

Then, she spoke again.

"You know, for a ThunderClan cat," She meowed, looking into his eyes, with mischief sparkling in hers, "You're not too bad, Thornclaw."

Thornclaw smiled.

"You're not too bad for a ShadowClan cat, Tawnypelt."

--

**A/N:** There. I wrote it. Not as romantic at my last one-shot but it'll have to do, I suppose. Review, please. :3

--;Kewix


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